you could argue lyndon johnson interpreted his mandate in 1964 as a blank check in vietnam. that is one of the great dangers that confronts presidents. i did not think there is a second term curse. i think there are a number of factors. i think the word mandate should be removed from the white house dictionary. in a polarized area, presidents have a tendency to over interpret. host: let me add, this iconic photograph of president bill clinton, hugging monocle and skin. only the second president -- monica lewinsky. only the second president to face impeachment. guest: we have been told by people who should know that president clinton was willing to use some of the political capital he had. he won a significant, decisive victory over bob dole in 1996. he was prepared to move on entitlements, the so-called third rail of american politics, which would have required him spending a lot of political capital. then when the whole scandal broke, that was no longer a viable option. host: let me share with you this story from "the washington post,." there is one sentence from this artic